Girl on Fire Rescued
by ClintonBush43Obama
Summary: I was kicking myself because I could have blended this into my Hijacked Mockingjay story on my WizMonCruWil channel. Oh, well. I felt I had to write it. The parallels in dialogue to Princess Bride are intentional. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: One Couple in a Century

**Chapter 1: One Couple in a Century**

President Snow was livid. Livid as he watched Peeta Mellark on the rebels' propo video, which had hijacked regular Capitol footage.

"Mr. President, I now speak directly to you: I love Katniss, and that is something you cannot kill with a thousand arenas or hundreds of Career tributes. Not even the might of the Capitol can crush that. I will come for my Katniss."

In a rage, Snow flew down deep into the bowels of the Tribute Training Center, where Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, was hooked up to a windmill-like torture machine powered by water. By the Capitol's standards, it was primitive, but it worked. Snow towered over the young woman with a malicious snarl.

"You really love each other," he spat. "And so you might have been truly happy. Not one couple in a century has that chance. And so I'll make damn sure that no one in a century will suffer as greatly as you will." Still consumed by hatred, he seized the bar measuring the power level for the torture and ratcheted it all the way up.

"Not to 50!..." Claudius Templesmith protested, but it was too late.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHH! AHHHHHH!" Katniss's horrible screams of pain echoed throughout the chamber, bringing music to the sadistic President's ears.

The machine was not switched off until the girl became unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2: Where in the World?

**Chapter 2: Where in the World?**

A week or so later, District 13 finally came up with a contingency plan to rescue Katniss. Peeta insisted that he be on the mission himself, which President Coin reluctantly agreed to.

So in the dead of night, Beetee Latier hijacked the Capitol newsfeed and security cameras as a distraction to allow planes to land around the Training Center. Peeta led the charge into the building. They were met by some opposition by guards. Besotted with love for Katniss and determination to get her back, Peeta let his arena instincts take over.

"This one's for District 12!" – THWACK! – "This one's for my family!" – THUNK! – "And this one's for Katniss!" – CRUNCH! He cracked open the skulls of his foes with little thought.

Finally, the rescue team reached the torture chamber. With a hand signal, Peeta kicked down the door and burst in, gun at the ready.

It was deserted. Except for a desk with papers off to one side, and a giant…. machine on the other side that included an operating table of sorts. And on that table lay a body….

"KATNISS!" Even in unconsciousness, Katniss Everdeen lay beautiful. Peeta rushed to her side and violently tore off the straps that held down his love. A trembling hand reached to caress her face. She stirred, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive! Then, Katniss's eyes fluttered open.

"Peeta! ….. They said you'd never come…."

"Who, sweetheart? Who did this to you?"

Before she could answer, Katniss swooned and fell unconscious again. Peeta lifted her off the table, and cradled her – bridal style - in his arms. Even then, her body lay limp like a rag doll.

Still holding her like this, Peeta and his team rushed out of the Training Center and spirited their revolution's last hope away to District 13.


	3. Chapter 3: Shortage of Perfect Pecs

**Chapter 3: Shortage of Perfect Pecs**

Katniss had been out for three days, hooked up to life-saving machines this time, instead of life-draining ones. Not once had she stirred since arrival back in District 13. Many people wondered if they had arrived to save her just too late. Machines showed she was alive, but barely.

Peeta was beside himself. If Katniss did die from her wounds – and that was a distinct possibility – he didn't know what he would do. He'd probably kill himself. If she did die, so would he.

And he knew just how he would do it: by bleeding. Self-inflicted cutting with a knife.

When it became distinctly possible that Katniss would not survive, Peeta entered her room one evening. He had managed to smuggle in a knife past the hospital ward's metal detectors. And now, he would bleed himself to death, watching his beloved Katniss until the last.

Unsheathing the knife, he faced away from his lover and prepared to make the first incision, intending to turn back around to her once the bleeding started. Just as the silver blade was inching towards his flesh…..

"You know, there are a shortage of perfect pecs in this world. It would be a pity to ruin yours."

Peeta whirled around to see Katniss – awake and alive – clearly admiring his shirtless pectoral muscles with a small smile.

"Katniss! Oh, Katniss, darling!" He ran to her, nearly throwing himself on top of her, and began to pepper her face and lips with kisses.

"Katniss…. why won't you hold me?" Peeta gasped in between each kiss.

"Gently," Katniss coached him as he kissed her.

"At a time like this….. you really think I'm going to do that?" Seizing her, Peeta brought Katniss in for a deep kiss, lifting her slightly off the bed.

"Gently!" Katniss squeaked against Peeta's mouth. Hearing that she was clearly in pain, Peeta let her go and she fell back onto the pillows. The boy began to caress her face with a smile.

"Sorry. Can you move?"

"Move?" Katniss smiled softly. "We're alive. If you wanted, I could fly." Peeta ignored the only corny, romantic words Katniss had ever uttered and kissed her passionately. There would be years in which they could move and laugh and talk. For now, just being together was enough.


End file.
